By successfully combating childhood stunting and diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, Kenya has made great health progress since 2000. But the country needs to take more steps if it hopes to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, according to a new scientific study in The Lancet.
Kenya’s health gains were made against a global backdrop of expanded health coverage, greater access to family planning, and fewer deaths of newborns and children under the age of five are among several improvements contributing to many countries’ progress towards achieving the SDGs.
While Kenya has increased access to basic health services, a high percentages of the population remain at risk because of poor hygiene and sanitation, and a lack of clean water.
“Kenya has shown promising health progress in the past 15 years, particularly by combating problems like childhood stunting and deadly diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. But Kenya needs to take action to further drive down these disease rates, and tackle major challenges like water, sanitation, and hygiene,” said Dr Tom Achoki, Clinical Assistant Professor at IHME. “Much more energy and resources will be needed for Kenya to meet the SDGs.”
The study by the international Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) collaboration, published in The Lancet, analyzed each country’s progress towards achieving health-related SDG targets by creating an overall SDG Index score. Countries were then ranked by their scores to show which nations are closest to achieving the targets.
A nation’s SDG index score is based on a scale of zero to 100. As a result, Iceland tops the list with a score of 85. The lowest-scoring nation was the Central African Republic, at 20. Kenya has a score of 40; ahead of its East African neighbors Tanzania (score of 36), Uganda (31), and Ethiopia (30); and behind South Africa (score of 46), Namibia (45) and Ghana (43).
The study’s top findings for Kenya include:
- Rates of new HIV infections dropped from 4.4 cases per 1,000 people in 2000 to 3.6 cases per 1,000 in 2015.
- Malaria rates also fell from 149 cases per 1,000 people to 97 cases per 1,000 people over the same 15-year period.
- The tuberculosis rate declined from 2.8 new or relapsed cases per 1,000 people to 1.8 new or relapsed cases per 1,000 in 2015.
- Access to contraceptives or other family planning methods increased from 49% to 74% for women who want them.
- Violence is becoming an increasing problem for Kenya’s women. In 2000, 18% of women over the age of 15 experiences intimate partner violence; in 2015, that number had risen to 19%.
“We know that international targets can motivate countries and motivate donors,” said IHME Director Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray. “The international Global Burden of Disease collaboration is committed to providing an independent assessment of progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.”
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